The American
Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles, California conducted their eighth polling, 100 Years...100
Movie Quotes highlighting "America's Greatest Quotes in the
Movies." AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes revealed the
100 greatest movie quotes in American films, as chosen by leaders of
the entertainment community, in a three-hour television event, that
aired on the CBS Television Network in June 2005. A ballot was distributed in 2004 with 400
Nominated Quotes from Films to a jury of 1,500 leaders from
the film community, including filmmakers, actors, historians, scholars,
journalists and industry types. Voters could submit up to five write-in
choices not included among the 400 nominees.

Movie Quote - A statement, phrase or brief
exchange of dialogue spoken in an American film. [AFI defined an American
film as an English language motion picture with significant creative
and/or financial production elements from the United States. Additionally,
only Movie Quotes from feature-length American films released before
January 1, 2004 were considered. AFI defined a feature-length film
as a motion picture of narrative format that was typically over 60
minutes in length.]

Cultural Impact - Movie Quotes that viewers
used in their own lives and situations; circulating through popular
culture, and becoming part of the national lexicon.

Legacy - Movie Quotes that viewers used to
evoke the memory of a treasured film, thus ensuring and enlivening
its historical legacy.

The Top 10 Greatest American Movie Quotes
From the Top 100
(According to American Film Institute (AFI))

Top 10 Greatest American Movie Quotes: These are
the top 10 Greatest American Movie Quotes, revealed in AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes in mid-2005, from a winning list of 100 quotes. Eligible feature-length American films had to have been released before
January 1, 2004. See more details about the 100 Greatest Film Quotes further below.

3. "You don't understand! I could've had class. I could've been a contender.
I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am."(Marlon Brando (as Terry Malloy), in On The Waterfront (1954))
Play clip (excerpt): (extended)

"Louis, I think
this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." (# 20) -- Play clip (excerpt):

"We'll always
have Paris." (# 43) -- Play clip (excerpt):

"Of all the gin
joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." (# 67) -- Play clip (excerpt):

Three actors had 3 quotes in the top 100 list:

Marlon Brando:

"I'm gonna make
him an offer he can't refuse." (# 2), from The Godfather (1972) -- Play clip (excerpt):

"You don't understand! I could've had class. I could've been a contender.
I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am." (# 3), from On The Waterfront (1954) -- Play clip (excerpt): (extended)